Automatic recording instrument



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. L. MILLER. AUTOMATIC RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

No. 568,784. Patented Oct. 6, 1896.

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllll IIIIII ll ll m l (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. L. MILLER. AUTOMATIC RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

Patented Oct. 6, 1896.

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EDWARD L. MILLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,784, dated October 6, 1896.

Application filed January l0, 1893. Serial No. 45 7,900. (No model.)

To all whom it' muy concer/1,:

Beit known that I, EDWARD L. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and-State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Automatic Recording Instrument, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, that will enable others to make and use the same, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of devices that are adapted to be attached to the various types of steam, air, gas, and liquid pressure gages for the purpose of automatically and accurately recording the workin g thereof and making permanent record, whether the action is of a regular or irregular character.

The device is adapted for general purposes and may be used in connection with many kinds of different mechanical appliances, whether under pressure or not.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a device embodying my improved features; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same, on line 2, Fig. l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow; Fig. 3, a horizontal section on line 3, Fig. l; Fig. 4;, a brokenaway sectional detail on line et, Fig. l; Fig. 5, a similar view on line 5, Fig. l; Fig. (j, a horizontal section on line G, Fig. 5. i Figs. 7 and S are face views of a disk-Wheel; Fig. 9, a section of the same on line 9, Fig. l0; Fig. l0, a transverse section on line l0, Fig. 7 and Fig. 1l, a horizontal section on line ll, Fig. 2, the inclosing case being omitted.

The device is shownin connection with an ordinary pressuregage for the purpose of illustrating a practical working application of the invention, motion being, in this instance, transmitted to the recording attachment from the gage-spindle on which the indicating-hand is mounted.

A is a steam-pressure gage of the ordinary type; A", the flattened circular. spring-tube, connecting at one end with a lever operating a segment-gear, (not showin) which engages with a pinion A2, mounted on the rot-atable gage-spindle A3, carrying the indicatinghand A4.

A pinion B is rigidly mounted on the outer end of spindle AS and engages with the adjacent toothed edge d of the lower part of a rack-bar B, having an endwise movement across the face of the gage. A friction-roller u. prevents a lateral movement of the rackbar and holds the same into enga-gement with the pinion B. The rack -bar extends up through a guide a2, Figs. 3 and 1l, into a case or box receptacle C, mounted on top of the gage and inclosin g the recording mechanism. The upper part of the rack-bar, moving in the inclosing casing, is provided on the inner side with a series of teeth o3, Fig. 2, engaging` with a pinion all, rigidly mounted on a hub extension a5, Fig. il, of a disk wheel C', which is in turn loosely mounted on a Wormshaft C2, the respective ends of which are j ourn aled in companion standards a, secured to the inside bottom of the inclosing case.

A ratchet-pinion C3, Figs. l, 3, 4, and ll, is rigidly mounted on the worm-shaft adjacent to the disk wheel CI. This disk wheel is provided with a recess a7, Fig. 8, in which is mounted an angular dog O4, Figs. 7, l0, and l1, the outer end as of which extends over into engagement with the pinion C3 in one-way operation. A spring I) is seated in a chamber b in the disk wheel and bears on the turned-in end b2, Fig. 10, of the dog CAx and serves to retain the opposite end thereof in engagement with the pinion C3. A springpressed pawl b3, Fig. 4, is also held in engagement with pinion C3 and locks the same against aback movement with the disk wheel.

Then the rack-bar B moves upwardly, the pinion a4, disk wheel C', worin-shaft C2, and ratchet-pinion C3 all rotate together in one direction. On the down movement of rackbar the pinion a4 and the disk wheel C are rotated in the opposite direction, the ratchetpinion and worm-shaft remaining stationary.

A hollow shaft or sleeve t* loosely incloses the lower part of a stationary spindle D, having its lower end, Fig. 5, fixed in the bottom part of case C. A worm gear-wheel b5 is rigidly mounted on the hollow shaft and engages with the worm end IJ of shaft C2. rllhe hollow shaft is provided on the upper end with a iiange o7, Figs. l and 5, corresponding to the flanged end b3 of a spoolDQ loosely mounted on spindle D and resting on flange DI. These contacting flanges are perforated, as at d, for the insertion of a locking-pin d', which se- IOO cures the spool and sleeve together' and imparts the required rotary movement to the spool from the worm-shaft.

By the arrangement described an intermittent rotary movement is transmitted to the spool D in one direction only, and that from the up movement of the rack-bar.

A spool D2 carries a roll of paper or other material (Z2, on which the required record is to be noted. The paper ribbon, as it is unwoun d from spool D2, passes on itsway to the driven spool between a guide-plate (Z3 and a bracket (t1. The paper rests upon the bracket il" to receive the impression of a pencil or recording-point g, Fig. 2, inserted in the rackbar and project-ing through a slot g in the guide-plate d3, Fig. l.

In operation an end wise movement is transmitted to the rack-bar by the oscillatory action of the gage-spindle and the vibratory movement of the gage-hemd accurately transcribed in vertical and diagonal lines on the paper ribbon, as shown at h, Fig. l.

A pointer L/ is mounted on the upper end of rack-bar B and traverses the graduatedscale surface 71,2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a recording instrument, the combination with a pressure-gage, of a rack-bar, adapted to receive an endwisc reciprocating movement therefrom, a pinion, engaging the upper end ot' said rack-bar, a disk Wheel, having an elongated hub on which said pinion is rigidly mounted, a worm-shaft, on which said disk Wheel is loosely mounted, a ratchet-pinion, rigidly mounted on the worm-shaft, a sp1-in g-pressed dog, mounted in said ratchetwhecl and engaging said ratchet-pinion, a spring-pressed pawl, locking the ratchet-pinion against a back movement, a spool, on which the record-ribbon is wound, and means for connecting said shaft and spool, whereby an intermittent rotary motion is transmitted to the spool coincident with the movement of the rack-bar, substantially as described.

2. In a recording instrument, the combination with a pressure-gage, of a rack-bar, receiving a reciprocating endwise movement from the spindle of said gage, a disk Wheel, having an elongated hub, a pinion, rigidly mounted on said hub and xvi th which said rackbar engages, aworm-shatt, on which said disk wheel is loosely mounted, a ratchet-wheel, rigidly mounted on the Worm-slntft, a springpressed dog, mounted in the disk wheel and engaging the ratchet-wheel, a spring-pressed pawl, engaging With and locking said ratchet- Wheel against a back movement, a hollow shaft, provided with a flange,a pinion, mounted thereon and cn gagin g with the Worm-shaft, a receiving-spool, and means for connecting said hollow shaft and spoolin a rotary movement, substantially as set forth.

EDlVARD Il. MILLER.

Wvitncsscs:

CHAs. W. THEIL, RALPH M. VATTERS. 

